I Want To Believe
by Taylor Huff
Summary: With things looking grim, the public opinion of Leaf villages shifts from valuing teamwork above all else, to driving the ninja forces into back-breaking training. Individual accomplishment becomes a prized commodity, after all.. They're the ones who survive the longest… My version of Konoha, with a blackened soul...


Summary: With things looking grim, the public opinion of Leaf villages shifts from valuing teamwork above all else, to driving the ninja forces into back-breaking training. Individual accomplishment becomes a prized commodity, after all.. They're the ones who survive the longest…

By Taylor Huff

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The attack on the Village Hidden in the Leaves by Kyuubi no Kitsune was lost.. The great beast had rampaged for days on end, the sky itself acquiring a tainted red hue. Quite a few people would assume the final sealing of the beast would be an end, a great relief to the village. But the blaring announcements told a different tale, it was only the beginning of a truly miserable time for the people.

"Hokage down. Namikaze-sama has sacrificed his life to defeat the Beast. I repeat, Hokage down. All available ninja report to their designated bunkers, civilian repopulation will commence in 4 hours."

It was dark times. The previous Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was a ripe old age for any ninja, and decided not to retake his post as village leader. He suggested a period without a permanent leader, the village council acquiring political power in his stead. This way, he figured, the reins of the Great Leaf's military might would be held by many hands, staving off the potential corruption of a single man. Sarutobi also put forward his old rival and teammate, Danzo Shimura, for the position of Village Council Head. He believed his old teammate deserved at least a chance to prove his worth as leader.

Weeks passed, and jobs for the ninja are scarce as the Hidden Leaf adopted a political climate similar to it's hated foe, Iwa. The village slowly transformed itself into a sort of "military democracy", and their intake of assassination missions rose sharply. In time, the other nations learned of this change of heart, and Konoha's Assassins became something to be feared in any climate.

In Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind, it was difficult to believe that this was the village he was born into, and raised in. The village used to value professional teamwork above all else, even mission completion. Things had changed, however. With their more militaristic view, the ninja who specialized in taijutsu or rough combat ascended to a high pedestal. These warriors, soldiers, his mind supplied.. Were the new face of Konohagakure no Sato. The personal accomplishments of the individual were steadily becoming more known in people's opinions. Those who didn't already acknowledge or fear the reputation of Hatake Kakashi were learning to, fast. He was a man of over 1000 jutsu, and a bit of a prodigy in producing jutsu variants. The man still professed himself the possessor of a sole unique technique, but his worth was far more than that assassination jutsu. The old rumors about that particular technique started anew, there was a reason the jutsu was dubbed the "Lightning Cutter".

Years passed the village by, and a new generation was being raised. One youth, Naruto Uzumaki, never came up with a "Believe it!" slogan.. He trained too hard to put stock in this kind of blind faith. The very best he could muster was: "I Want To Believe.."

"I want to believe I will become the village's strongest ninja."

"I want to believe that if I train, and work hard enough.. I can create powerful techniques, and live on into old age.."

"I want to believe.. I will grow, and become a powerful defender of the Leaf."

The old village ideology, the "Will of Fire", was slowly dying out. The younger generation couldn't see it, but the previous would have been shocked if they could have foreseen the future their children would live in. Opinions, when combined, can become powerful things.. And after years of militaristic actions, the other nations spoke quietly among themselves..

They had come to fear the Leaf, for it was dripping blood.

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AN: An idea I had for a darker version of Naruto. Further plot could include Naruto training hard to get stronger, and making his own chakra manipulation techniques. Review if you liked it.


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